Auf leads seminar on the Egyptian judiciary and the revolution

22/05/2013

RN’s MENA Constitutional Network participated in a 3-hour virtual discussion 21 May 2013 moderated by Judge Yussef Auf who prepared an extended analysis, “Al thawra wal qada’ fi Misr: al muwajaha al hatmiyya” (The Judiciary and the Revolution: the Inevitable Confrontation), as background for the session. The paper provides historical context and a brief overview of the current structure and roles of the relevant judicial institutions, noting the importance as well of the powerful Judges’ Club. Highlighting the critical development in Egypt in the years leading up to the revolution of a ‘stream of judicial independence’, Auf offered unique understanding of the complex dynamic between the institutional and political forces, and the existing ideological ‘split’ amongst judges reflecting deep division within the society that has been exacerbated in the post-revolutionary period.

An op-ed summarized from the detailed paper was published by leading Lebanese daily An Nahar 2 July 2013.